


'cause it's a beautiful night

by thekaidonovskys



Series: Becoming Three [20]
Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: M/M, Marriage Proposal, Multi, Polyamory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-31
Updated: 2015-01-31
Packaged: 2018-03-09 20:05:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,812
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3262670
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thekaidonovskys/pseuds/thekaidonovskys
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>And for a long time they just look, taking in the memories. Tendo’s leaning against his console, smiling softly at the place he knows so well. “This was the best idea,” he says, turning to look at his partners. “I’m really glad we did this.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	'cause it's a beautiful night

**Author's Note:**

> When I posted this on Tumblr the first time, I tried to make it a surprise. Even though you all know what's going to happen, I still hope it makes you happy. It certainly made me happy to write.

When Hermann tells them both that he has a seminar in Hong Kong and tentatively suggests that they might want to come along, it takes approximately one second for them to both agree. 

It’s Hong Kong, after all. Somehow none of them have found time to go back since the scattering of the ashes - at first it was needing to let wounds heal, but then it just became busy lives and other commitments and no time to really go jetting across the world as they pleased. So this conference is perfect, and they all quickly arrange to take a week off, which will give them a couple of days either side of Hermann’s conference. 

Of course they’re going back to visit the Shatterdome which did, in the end, become a tourist attraction. But it’s a tasteful one, and one that means that the ‘dome has been recreated to look exactly as it did in their time, right down to the dividing line in Hermann and Newt’s lab. They’ve gained permission to go in after hours, when the crowds will be gone and they won’t have to deal with tourists, and it’ll be one of their first stops after a day of recuperation and adjusting to the time zone change.  

So Tendo gets them all packed up, as he’s so good at doing, and immediately hits a snag: Hermann has no research notes for his seminar. Hermann blinks at him, startled, when Tendo brings it up, then smiles. “It’s a topic I’ve spoken on hundreds of times,” he says. “I have the presentation on file, and the rest will come from memory.”

It’s not Hermann’s usual style, but Tendo lets it go. He’s got no reason to be suspicious, after all.

The next slightly odd thing comes down to Hermann’s laptop bag - he’s just a little too possessive of it as they get all the bags loaded up and ready to head to the airport. He refuses to let anybody else carry it or look through it, and actually raps Newt over the knuckles with his cane when he goes to dig out Hermann’s passport. He’s immediately apologetic and blames it on nervous tension, which is odd but hey, they’re not going to call him out on it. After all, even if it’s not usual for him to be nervous about a seminar, they are returning to Hong Kong which holds a lot of memories for them all, and not all necessarily good ones, especially on the heels of his phone call to his father last night…

Which is the other unusual thing. Hermann voluntarily called his father, and the conversation was quite long as well - and all in German, so Tendo had no idea what was going on, since Newt had stayed back late to finish up an experiment before they departed. At any rate, the conversation didn’t seem to go badly, with Hermann actually smiling at the end, though he did refuse to explain, saying it would all come out in due time. 

So if Tendo’s the suspicious type, and the type to keep tabs on his partners, he might be beginning to feel a little worried about what might be going on right now. But his active mind hasn’t even added it up, hasn’t considered that there’s anything wrong, and is quite looking forward to getting to Hong Kong. He wants to see just how accurate the Jaeger replications they’ve put on the factory floor are.

But first they have to arrive and check in at the hotel and deal with the fact that it’s 11pm but their bodies are telling them otherwise. They need to get into a good sleep schedule so they obediently curl up together and do their best to sleep, and it must work because soon enough it’s morning and none of them are too bleary and jet lagged. They take the morning to relax, Hermann working away at his laptop clearly getting his presentation together, and then head out into the streets for the afternoon. While none of them had really gotten out of the ‘dome much while they were in Hong Kong (apart from Newt’s little trip through the Bone Slums), it’s still a familiar place, and it’s a delight to come back without the weight of the world on their shoulders. 

Though, at times, Tendo’s pretty sure Hermann’s still carrying it around. He looks a little fidgety and uncertain, a couple of times almost lost in thought before snapping back. It’s not that anything’s wrong, they’d pick up on that immediately, but there’s definitely something on his mind.

Newt notices too, and says as such over dinner when Hermann goes to use the bathroom. “Any idea what’s going on?”

Tendo shakes his head. “Perhaps he’s gonna propose,” he jokes, and Newt chuckles. It’s quite the running joke these days. “No, maybe he’s just a bit nervous about going back into the ‘dome. I mean, you two had quite the colourful history there.”

Newt considers that, then nods. “Fair point. Suppose he might be thinking that the lab’s gonna remind me how much I hated him and I’ll leave.”

“Is that going to happen?”

“Not a chance.”

“Good.”

They quickly settle into banter as Hermann returns, and before long it’s time to go. The Shatterdome closes to the public at seven, so they walk over in the fading light and arrive just in time to present themselves to security before the doors close. With the agreement to let themselves out the back door which will stay unalarmed (but can only open from the inside), they’re told to take their time. 

And take their time they do. 

They start, by mutual and unspoken agreement, in the lab. Newt’s grinning like mad when he walks in, and everything about Hermann just relaxes as they take in the room. Because it’s perfect, it’s exactly how they used to have it… except for two things. One is the neatness of Newt’s side of the room, and the other is the calculations on the blackboard. 

They’ve been replaced by messages. Written by members of the public as they tour, they cover nearly all of the board. And every single one is a note of thanks, of gratitude to the scientists and their contributions to the war - because Mako and Raleigh still have celebrity status, but not many journalists ever wanted to talk to Hermann and Newt, and Tendo is absolutely thrilled for them as they stand there and take in the sheer love that’s been written to them. 

“Did you know about this?” Newt finally demands of Herman, and Tendo suddenly realizes what Hermann might have been a little anxious about. 

But Hermann shakes his head. “I had no idea. It’s incredible.”

“You’re rock stars,” Tendo tells them. “And you deserve the praise.”

They could probably quite happily stay there all night, but after Newt snaps off a few photos they reluctantly head off to the rest of the facility. They walk through the dining hall, along the corridor leading to the rooms (which are all locked, and probably for the best considering what they might have done if one of their three rooms had been open), and finally out onto the Jaeger floor. 

“Okay,” Tendo announces after a few seconds of staring. “That’s pretty fucking fantastic.”

The recreations are clearly just that - recreations. Non-operational, non-durable and missing some quite vital components. But they’re accurate, and that’s what’s getting to Tendo as he stares up at them - namely at Crimson Typhoon. He knows Hermann is doing the same with Cherno Alpha and slips his hand into Hermann’s, who smiles a little. “It’s a beautiful tribute,” he agrees. “They would be proud. They all would.” 

“Mako and Raleigh did say that they loved seeing Gipsy Danger again,” Newt chimes in. “I can see why.” 

Tendo turns and looks up, seeing the lit up windows of Control. “Guys,” he begins, attempting to stay calm. “Can we…”

Hermann chuckles. “Of course we can.”

Up they go, and as soon as Tendo enters Control he’s grinning because this is home. He walks straight up to his station - inactive, of course - and sits down at the controls. “My kingdom,” he proclaims, and smiles sheepishly as both his partners laugh. “Well I did rule the place.”

“You really did,” Newt agrees as they walk over, Tendo standing back up to join them. “I loved coming up here to watch the Jaeger test runs.”

“As did I. I should have done it more often.”

“I did it all the time and never got sick of it,” Tendo says. “Watching them come home was the best.”

“They’re all home now,” Hermann says, nodding down at the Jaeger floor. “In spirit, if nothing else.”

And for a long time they just look, taking in the memories. Tendo’s leaning against his console, smiling softly at the place he knows so well. “This was the best idea,” he says, turning to look at his partners. “I’m really glad we did this.”

Newt takes his hand. “It’s awesome,” he agrees. “You need to do more seminars in Hong Kong, Herms.”

“Or we could just come here to visit,” Hermann points out. “But I do think this - being here, back here again - will be the highlight.”

“Better than your seminar?” Tendo teases, looking across Newt to wink at Hermann, who rolls his eyes. “I definitely agree, though.” There’s a few moments of silence, then Tendo, already planning ahead for tomorrow, realizes he should probably figure out what time they need to head home to get Hermann to bed. “So, what time’s the seminar tomorrow?” 

Hermann pauses for a moment, and when he turns to look at them there’s something unusual in his smile. “No time at all,” he says.

Tendo frowns and checks to see that Newt’s just as puzzled as he is. “What do you mean?”

“There is no seminar.”

“There’s… they’ve cancelled it?”

Hermann shakes his head. “No,” he says, moving to stand in front of the two of them. “There never was a seminar.” 

Another look to Newt, who’s frowning just as hard. “Then why are we here?”

“Well,” Hermann says slowly, one hand slipping into his pocket. “Perhaps so I could be incredibly cliche and do this?”

When he removes his hand with two ring boxes, Tendo completely forgets how to breathe. 

“Oh my god,” Newt whispers. “Are those -?”

“Are they what, love?” 

Tendo hears Newt swallow hard. “Rings?” 

“Yes.” 

“Engagement rings?” 

“They are indeed.” 

“For… us?”

 “I certainly can’t think of anybody else I’d rather be giving them to.” Hermann puts the boxes down on the console, then holds out his hands, one to each of them. “I know you’ve both been waiting,” he says gently as they take them, Newt’s other hand a death grip on Tendo’s. “Not impatiently, and certainly with no pressure upon me, but I know this is what you want. And it’s what I want too. So I thought, what better place than where it all began… and ended, then began again.”

They look up at the war clock, at the fluorescent row of zeroes, and understand. “We began here too, didn’t we?” Newt asks. “The three of us.”

Hermann nods. “Even if we didn’t know it at the time. You and I strengthened our bond that we refused to admit to for a long time, and the two of you continued your friendship that would one day become more. My only regret,” he adds, looking to Tendo, “is that we never truly connected in here. But as little as I knew you then, at least I know you well enough now to be proposing.”

And that brings Tendo right back to where they are now. “How are you gonna do this without getting on one knee?” he teases - gently, of course, and with a mark of how well he really does know Hermann by knowing it won’t overstep (and also to try and keep the tears at bay because this is happening).

Hermann, sure enough, just smiles. “I think this is unconventional enough that we can skip that anyway,” he says. “I think I can just go ahead and ask… but I don’t want to ask if you’ll marry me, because that isn’t the question. I may be the one proposing, but my proposal is that the three of us continue to be three, only… with rings.”  

Tendo laughs at that, even as the tears finally spill over, and Hermann squeezes his hand. “Rings and a fancy ceremony,” he points out.

Newt nods. “And being able to use the word husbands. Because, wow.”

Hermann smiles. “I suppose that’s what I’m asking, then. Shall we become husbands?”

“Yes,” Tendo murmurs, and hears Newt say the same. “But wait, hang on,” he says quickly as Hermann releases their hands to pick up the boxes. “Tell me you bought yourself one too?”

Hermann smiles a little sheepishly and reaches into his other pocket. “I did have faith that I would get to wear a ring at the end of tonight, yes." 

“Good. Give it to Newt.” Hermann, now frowning a little, does. “And give me Newt’s,” Tendo adds, holding out his hand. “Like you said, this isn’t you asking us to marry you, it’s all of us. So it’s only fitting that we all take part.”

Hermann’s smiling again, soft and beautiful. “Absolutely,” he agrees, then takes Tendo’s breath away again by opening the box and revealing his ring. “I know you should have had input on the rings, but I did want it to be a surprise -“

“Hermann, I actually could not have picked anything better, now shut up and get that thing on my finger before I burst into tears and ruin the moment completely.”

Hermann rolls his eyes, but they’re absolutely alight with emotion as he removes the ring from the box and gently slides it onto Tendo’s finger, then lifts his hand to cup Tendo’s cheek and kisses him softly. “I love you,” he murmurs. 

“I love you too.” Tendo gives himself a few seconds to stare at his hand, absolutely overwhelmed, before turning to Newt. “I have no idea what I’m about to reveal,” he says as he holds out the box and opens it, “but if it’s anything like mine…” 

Judging by the sudden tears in Newt’s eyes, it is. It’s not the same, Tendo sees as he turns the box back to lift the ring out, but it’s similar enough that they clearly belong together. More than that, it’s Newt, just as Tendo’s ring is him. 

He slips the ring onto Newt’s finger, running his thumb over it for a second before nearly being attacked as Newt kisses him, a little wild and shaken up, and Tendo understands it completely and kisses him calm again - or at least as calm as any of them are going to get. “I love you,” he tells Newt when they break apart. “So much.” 

“I love you too,” Newt says, his voice a little shaky, and kisses him one more time before turning to Hermann. “I always knew I’d be putting a ring on your finger someday,” he says as he opens the box. “I did think I was going to be the one who chose it, but you’ve done quite a brilliant job there already.” 

Tendo, looking at the ring, nods his silent approval of Hermann’s choice for himself, and Hermann smiles, though it’s looking a little watery as suddenly he’s the one out of control. “Cut the chatter and make me your fiancé,” he says. 

Newt and Tendo both give small involuntary (and very happy) sighs at the word fiancé, then grin at each other. Then Newt removes the ring and gently puts it on Hermann’s finger, before even more gently kissing him. “I love you, Hermann.” 

“I love you too.”

And then they just stand there, looking at each other. “So,” Tendo says after a bit. “What exactly comes next?”

“Pretty sure we’re meant to have a lot of sex now,” Newt says, grinning.

Hermann raises an eyebrow, but he doesn’t exactly look displeased with the suggestion. “So back to the hotel then?” 

Tendo glances at Newt thoughtfully, then leans over and whispers to him. Newt’s eyes light up and he peeks at Hermann before nodding vigorously. “Yeah, that’s definitely still a thing I want.” 

Tendo smirks, then turns to Hermann. “One last stop in your old lab,” he tells him. “There’s something Newt wanted to do before the two of you got together, something he might have fantasised about for months… something involving your blackboard.”

Hermann’s eyes go wide, then he’s grabbing Newt by the arm and heading for the door as fast as possible. Tendo quickly follows behind, not wanting to miss this. 

He gently twists the ring on his finger as he walks, and smiles. 

**Author's Note:**

> If you want to see the rings I chose for them, they're here: http://commanderchoi.tumblr.com/post/109666128864/if-youve-read-cause-its-a-beautiful-night-and
> 
> This concludes the Becoming Three verse. It's been an amazing ride. Thank you all so much for being here for it xx


End file.
